For the Sky is hollow and the World is Round
by Vaelerya
Summary: A story taking place almost a hundred years after Eragon and Saphira left Alagaesia. A new Rider has come to Burthr to be taught by our heroes. The tables seem to turn, what will happen now?
1. Burthr

**For the sky is hollow and the World is round.**

This story takes place ninety-nine years after Eragon Shadeslayer and Saphira Bjartskular defeated the evil king Galbatorix in Uru'baen,  
now once again know as Ilirea.

The Riders have risen once again and Eragon and Saphira are living their lives peacefully, in a land far from Alagaesia, called Burthr,  
meaning ''Birth'' in the Ancient Language. This is because, not only have Eragon and Saphira chosen to start the Riders anew on this very soil,  
Saphira also laid her eggs on the very spot their house is now built.

Eragon smiled at the thought.  
He and Saphira lay atop of the highest hill in the area, right next to their house. Her enormous blue body lay curled around Eragon.  
The tip of her spiked tail lay alongside her scaled cheek.  
The sunlight that touched her scales exploded in a thousand blue specks, moving incoherently over the grass whenever Saphira did.  
Eragon sat with his legs crossed over each other, his back against Saphira's warm belly.  
He could feel her ribs going up and down with her every breath.  
_My children have long gone. _Saphira said.  
_Aye, they have but I spoke the words over the silver-blue egg.__  
__It has yet to hatch, but when it does it will join us here in Burthr for many years. I cannot say where the others are,__  
__but we could always look for them with our minds? But I know they are safe and well._

Five eggs she had lain. A silvery blue one, two purple ones, though one was almost six shades lighter than the other, one that was so dark blue it had to be held near a fire or in sunlight for it would appear black otherwise.  
And lastly egg of which Eragon thought it was green, but Saphira was convinced it was blue. It turned into an argument so fierce; Saphira broke over six trees with her tail and even set a part of the forest on fire. Which Blödhgarm had to extinguish before it spread. Eragon eventually scried Angela, looking for her help to settle the manner. She told him that it was neither yet both. It was a mixture of blue and green, the name of the color was teal.  
When he told Saphira she simply nodded her head and refused to talk about it any further.

A sigh of longing came from her, smoke came out of her nostrils and his hair tussled with the warm wind of her breath.  
She sent him a thought of mixed emotions.

He looked over at the landscape. Mountains covered the horizon and the late afternoon sun colored the sky orange and pink, though the sky above him was still blue. Three dragons and their Riders flew far away, who they were he could not tell. But he thought he saw Garrow on his orange dragon, Baldür.  
It was hard to tell on this time of day, even with his sharp elven eyes.

Then suddenly he felt another mind trying to enter his, if this was another time, almost a hundred years ago, Eragon would have been startled and put as much walls around his mind as he could, ready to fight off the intruder.  
But times were different now, and he had nothing to fear long as he was in Burthr. He opened his mind.

_Ebrithil, it is me Adrlein.__  
_Adrlein was a female knurlan of Dûrgrimst Vernshrrgn, the war clan of the dwarven race. She rode a pinkish red female dragon.  
Cayenne; the color was called according to Angela, she told him while they were scrying. Adrlein and Dorzada, as was the dragon's name, meaning love or adoration in Dwarvish, were new to the Riders.  
Dorzada was only eleven months old and still had much to learn.  
Adrlein was quite young also, only thirty-four years old. She had barely reached adulthood by dwarven standards.

_Yes Adrlein, speak your mind.__  
__Ebrithil, Dorzada and I, we were opening our minds to the world, to feel the creatures around us as you instructed.__  
__Good, tell me, what did you feel?__  
_This time, Dorzada spoke, a soft gentle voice, like that of a mother telling her child to close its eyes and dream the most beautiful dreams.  
_It was quite extraordinary, Ebrithil. A part of the Forest flooded and the ants gathered together to float over the surface of the water, protecting their queen.__  
__Then a grasshopper came, it jumped atop the float-ants and started picking them off one by one. But the ants did not budge and those who did not need to float attacked the green-giant-grasshopper-eater and they defeated it._

_Yes, yes_, Saphira interrupted, _but what of the other creatures?__  
__The birds, the spiders, the dragons and fish? The Urgralgra, the knurlan, the two-legs-round-ears and the alfakyn?__  
_With each example she gave, she showed an image of it with her mind.  
_What can you tell me of them, Adrlein and Dorzada?_

_Nothing, Ebrithilar. _They said at the same time.

Eragon frowned and continued; _Then you have failed once again. Remember, you must open your mind to all creatures, see without seeing. Hear them all, understand them all, and feel them all at once. Do that and you pass._

_Yes Ebrithil._ And Eragon shut off the connection with their minds, leaving him and Saphira alone again.  
Saphira rumbled with amusement. _They sound much like us in our younger days.  
When we were still in Ellesméra with Oromis and Glaedr-elda.__  
__Aye that they do._

''Eragon! Eragon! Are you there?''  
Eragon whipped his head up. The sound came from the house behind them.  
He looked at Saphira with a stupid grin on his face.  
_Stop looking like a lost whelp and go inside. _she said in a harsh tone, but her emotions were that those of happiness and excitement. The tip of her gigantic tail whipped around.

''Yes I'm coming!'' he yelled.  
He bounded to the house, graceful as an antelope.  
He slowed his pace down to a walk when he was at the front door, and walked into his home. The house and all other buildings on Burthr were built by him,  
the Eldunarí and the elves that joined him on his journey to find a land suitable for dragons.

It was made the same way as the buildings on Vroengard.  
First off, the buildings were enormous, great halls of such proportions that 300 men could have easily fit inside.  
Every door was like the mouth to a great, unexplored cavern.  
Every window as tall and as wide as a castle gate. Every wall was a sheer cliff.  
Thick mats of ivy strangled the blocks of stone, and where there was no ivy there was moss, which meant that his home,  
and all the other buildings for that matter, blended into the landscape and looked as if they had sprouted from the earth itself.  
What little of the stone was bare tended to be a pale ocher, although patches of red, brown and dusky blue were also visible.

He walked inside the house, through the giant hall, up the stairs that led to his normal sized bedroom. Upon entering the room, he looked at the mirror above his writing desk. There he saw the most beautiful woman in existence.  
''May good fortune rule over you.'' Eragon said.  
''May peace live in your heart.'' She replied with her musical voice.  
''And may the stars watch over you.'' A short silence fell thereafter.  
"Arya,'' he sighed. ''Eragon,'' she replied with a soft smile,  
''time has not changed you one bit.'' ''Neither has it you, Arya Dröttning.''

Arya was Queen of the elves and a Rider also.  
She has been a great help to Eragon in his quest to smite Galbatorix,  
and he had fallen in love with her the moment he laid his eyes upon her.  
Even though she was bruised and broken at that time.  
She had emerald green eyes with golden specks in them, like sunlight shining through oak leaves.  
Her eyes were slanted upwards, giving her a feline and exotic look. Her skin was perfectly smooth and had a light bronze undertone, as if she had been sleeping in the sun for a full day. Small, brown freckles covered the bridge of her nose and highly set cheekbones. Her lips were full and had a soft pink shade. And her hair was black as night, lying in a single braid over her shoulder and ending right were her ribs would end.  
Her ears were narrow and pointed, like those of a cat, but even longer.  
She wore a dark green tunic, standard elven attire.  
And a circlet that resembled graceful vines adorned her head. It held a single diamond.

''Going somewhere?'' Eragon asked.  
''How do you know, Shadeslayer?'' She replied almost teasingly._  
_He pointed at her through the mirror. ''You're wearing a leather tunic, that is no outfit for a Queen, not unless she's going somewhere of course.''  
She sighed, smiling. ''Ah, you got me. I was going to surprise you with it but I suppose you've gotten sharper over the years. I'm coming to Burthr, Eragon.  
Another egg has hatched, for a very… interesting girl this time.  
I will accompany her and her dragon to Burthr as I have the Rider before her and the others as well.''

He smiled. Arya had promised Eragon to accompany every new Rider and dragon to Burthr. First, they would stay in Ellesméra for six months, or until the dragon had learned to breathe fire. In that time, the Rider and dragon had to learn the basics of the Ancient Language if they could not already, for that was the only language to be spoken on Burthr, amongst Riders and dragons at least. After that, they would join Arya and Fírnen, her green dragon, to Burthr.  
That way, they could see each other from time to time.  
Although it was actually Fírnen who insisted upon it,  
so he could spend time with his mate, Eragons partner of heart and mind, Saphira.

''And what makes this girl so interesting, if I may ask?''  
She smiled. ''That I will not say, but I think you'll be very happy to see her.''  
Her words made Eragon even more curious about the girl and her dragon but he decided to leave it for now, he know Arya well enough, better than anyone actually, to know she would refuse to tell anymore then she already had.  
''Fine then. When will you arrive?''  
''Before the full moon, I think. It will depend on the other two.  
The dragon, Skalvaskr is his name I believe, is still very young, we will probably have to rest often.''  
Eragon looked up at the sky; the moon was already visible, though she looked almost translucent. It was still young, for the full moon had passed not too long ago. He sighed; it meant that it would still be a while before he could see her again. Smell her again. Hold her again.  
He missed her so much at times his heart felt like it was being gripped by claws of iron.  
_Take hold of your feelings little one, I too must wait for Fírnen.__  
__I know. _He focused his attention back on Arya.  
''That would mean it shall take about three weeks time?'' It wasn't a question.  
She smiled her perfect smile at him again. ''I'll see you then, Eragon.''  
And their eyes locked for just a moment. Then, never breaking the gaze, she whispered a few words, the mirror rippled and he was staring at his own reflection.

His brown hair and eyes. His pointy nose and strong jaw line.  
His fairly narrow lips and the dimple in his chin.  
His shoulders were broad and the muscles in his neck rippled as he swallowed, his Adams apple bobbed up and down. His face was narrow and angular, like that of an elf but it still contained a hardness that no elf possesses, for he was born a human.  
His ears were longer than any normal human ears AND ended in a point. His body was slim but muscular.  
He wore a light brown leather tunic with hints of green and orange,  
it was given to him many years ago when the first dragon hatched for a new elven rider, Nadaela.  
It was a gift to him from Arya. Thanks to magic it still looked as if it was new, and showed no sign of damage whatsoever.  
The pants he wore were of a darker brown, and around his waist hung a dark blue belt with twelve diamonds concealed within it.  
After the battle of Uru'baen he was unable to retrieve a similar belt, known as the Belt of Beloth the Wise. So he decided to make a new one.  
He made it himself and named it the Belt of Uncovering Truth.  
For not only did the belt contain twelve diamonds which are used for storing energy, it also had runes of the Ancient Language carved within it.  
It said ''_Fortha Ilumëo''_ Put forth Truth. Meaning that, in whichever language the person was speaking, as long as they spoke to him, they could only speak the truth. It would not count for their thoughts, only the words they spoke.  
But it was still something that would come in handy from time to time.

Eragon wondered about the new dragon and Rider. The Rider was a girl,  
that much Arya had made clear. And the dragon was a male named Skalvaskr.  
_A fine name. _Saphira mentioned. _Aye, a fine name indeed._

Eragon looked up at the sky through his bedroom window.  
The sun was now nearly in contact with the horizon and the stars could already be seen. He opened his mind and searched for his companions.  
When he found his eight pupils he said: _Night will soon fall, meet with me on the field next to Lake Aren and join me for dinner.__  
_Then he closed his mind again. _Let us go Saphira._ With that, the ground shook as she stood up, and presumably stretched judging by the sounds he heard. He felt and heard her footsteps as she walked over to his window.

It was only a nine and a half feet jump from his balcony to the gap between Saphira's neck and shoulders. And from this height he could look her directly in the eye without her having to look down too much. As soon as she stood in front of him he left the window and walked over to his balcony.  
First peeked over the edge to see if it was safe enough, when he confirmed it was, he climbed on the edge and gracefully leaped down.  
For a second he felt weightless and heavy at the same time before landing on Saphira's unstable flesh. He slipped, stuck his arms out and flailed them to try and stay upright; his hands came in contact with one her giant spikes, as high as his hips. He grabbed the spike and regained his balance.

She made a sound like crashing boulders which was her version of laughing.  
_Maybe you should magic next time. _She said mockingly. _Maybe._


	2. Riders to be

_Hi everyone! Sorry I don't post regularly :( It just isn't flowing right now. I don't know :p_  
_I'll try to finish the next chapter sooner but I don't want to force it or it'll be at cost of the quality. I feel like this chapter isn't as good as the other one already and its a lot shorter too. Sorry! I'll try harder!_

_xx Vaelerya_

Eragon cleared his throat and sat down in the spot between Saphira's shoulders.  
He adjusted his hips, looking for a more comfortable position.  
He ran his fingers through his hair and grabbed the enormous white spike in front of him. _Okay.  
_With that, he felt Saphira's body go tense under him. She crouched, and everything was still for a second.  
Then all of a sudden, the world around Eragon tumbled and twisted. His body lurched forward and he had to use all of the strength in his arms to keep his face from hitting the spike he was clinging on to.  
When he looked down, he saw that Saphira must have jumped at least fifty feet up into the air.  
Her wings were still folded, her neck and tail were stretched out as far as possible and  
her strong legs were tucked against her body.  
Her front legs lay against her ribs, her hind legs alongside her tail, giving her the appearance of a one hundred and forty feet long arrow;  
embedded with thousands of sapphires.

Saphira opened her wings and the sound of pieces of parchment sliding over each other filled Eragons ears,  
followed with a dry thud as soon as the air filled her membranes.  
Their speed decreased immediately and they settled for a slow glide over the landscape.

Eragon sighed contently. He loved these flights.  
He loved looking at the green hills under his feet,  
the clouds and the sun and the glittering streak of ocean that was so far away looked like nothing more than the edge of a sword.  
The sun now touched the horizon, the sky was a deep orange and the clouds were dark, crowned with golden light.  
_Even after so many years the beauty of the sunset still surprises me, remind me to make a fairth of it one day._  
Eragon said when he noticed Saphira admiring it too.  
Saphira tried to hide some of her emotions for Eragon but he still sensed a bit of jealousy.  
_There aren't many things that can compete with the beauty of a dragon such as me,  
but even I must admit that it is quite beautiful.  
_Eragon decided not to reply, as to not damage her ego any further.

He looked over to the direction they were flying and saw six of his students who had already arrived.  
He presumed it were the six he saw flying earlier for he saw Garrow and Baldür sitting in the meadow, together with the elf Florin and his purple dragon Kirría and also the urgal Vrizhglaad and his dragon Garzjla.

Garrow was the son of Ismira who in her turn was the daughter of Roran and Katrina.  
He had fair skin and curly auburn hair which stood atop of his head like a bushy crown, shagging with his every movement.  
He was heavily built, much like his grandfather; he had strong arms, broad shoulders and big thighs.  
His eyes were a mixture of brown and green, starting with brown around the pupil and going from a muddy green to almost blue around the edges of his iris.  
He had a short red beard covering his strong jaw and was wearing a green leather tunic much like Eragons,  
it was a standard attire among the Riders on Burthr.  
Garrow was named after his uncle, the younger brother of Ismira Katrinasdaughter who died shortly after birth.  
He was already thirty-two years old when he came in contact with the egg of his male dragon Baldür.

Baldür was of a deep orange color, comparable with the fur of a fox.  
He was a little over two years old but quite small for his age.  
But because of that he was heavily built, his limbs were short but extremely powerful. His legs, neck and tail were short but thick, and very strong. His chest was broad and deep and you could see his muscles ripple with every step he took.  
His eyes were a bright yellow and a small beard came from his chin, which made Eragon think of Glaedr every time he looked at it.  
Despite their intimidating looks, Garrow and Baldür were one of the kindest and most considerate of Eragon and Saphira's pupils.

Then there was the young elf Florin, who had silvery blond hair and icy blue eyes.  
He was tall and lean, yet muscular, like all elves.  
Though unlike most, his voice was quite deep, not the usual high musical one that most elves have.  
It was a beautiful and enchanting voice nevertheless, but it made him different than other elves somehow.  
He was an incredibly determined and hard headed elf.  
He could push himself to the absolute limit and even further if he had to. Eragon had always admired him for that.  
Thinking back to the times when his backed still hurt after battling Durza. When he just wanted to give up and run away.  
He knew it was something Florin would never do.

Suddenly, Kirría, the dragon who was bound to Florin grabbed Eragons attention when she snorted out a jet of purple fire.  
Kirría was a very intelligent dragoness; she was a deep royal purple and had red eyes.  
She was very keen and observant and also very good at making up clever spells for Florin to use.  
But because of this she was quite arrogant and had a hard time listening to others; thinking her solutions and ideas are superior to others'.

Lastly there sat Vrizhglaad and Garzjla. They were Eragons oldest students and were almost ready to become Rider and dragon in full.  
Garzjla was a male dragon who shone a golden white color. His name meant _Light_ in the ancient language.  
A very fitting name for him, for his color was the same as that of the sun.  
He was a very proud dragon, and almost as fierce as a wild one. He was almost five years old, and with that the biggest dragon among the students.  
He enjoyed towering over the younger dragons and had to be disciplined very often.  
Nevertheless he was very wise and considerate when least expected.  
Showing much respect towards the life of even the smallest critters and would never kill unless necessary,  
unlike some of the other dragons who hunt for sport.

Vrizhglaad, the Urgal Garzjla was bound to, was known for his skill in battle.  
The magic that binds an Urgal to its dragon makes him or her faster, leaner and stronger, something that Vrizhglaad has put to very good use.  
He is no Kull but is still able to wield a dual-handed axe with only one hand.  
Not only that, he has used magic to make his horns lighter and longer and includes them during battle like none other has done before.

The thunder of wings caught Eragons attention.  
Behind them flew the rest of his students, along with three other teachers who flew on the backs of the dragons.  
Two other dragons remained, who only had their Riders on their backs.  
He saw Blödhgarm, Veilan and Draumren, who all teach different kinds of magic, riding on the backs of three of his students. Some of them must have been in the middle of tutoring when summoned.

Eragon turned back around when he felt Saphira starting to dive down towards the meadow.  
When he did, he caught a glimpse of a sparkling light blue in the orange sky.  
It was Kael'na, a dragoness who had lost her Rider, a dwarf named Ardin almost twenty years ago.  
After five years of sorrow and almost going insane, she had decided to help Eragon train the Riders to be and had become a valuable teacher.  
Kael'na was sky blue of color, unlike Saphira who shone a somewhat darker shade of blue.  
On her back sat his dear friend Angela, and Solembum too, probably.  
As soon as Eragon had found Burthr and had began to settle, Angela and Solembum came out of nowhere.  
She stayed for a while and Eragon had asked her to become a teacher, which, to no surprise, she declined.  
Sometimes she would just disappear for three or four years and come back to tell stories about white stallions with silver horns or giants that spoke Dwarvish.  
Today was no different as he hadn't seen her for what must've been at least two and a half years.  
_She is so-  
-unpredictable. Yes I know. She and-  
-that cat of hers are-  
-always up to no good.  
But that's what keeps it interesting._ Saphira finished.  
Eragon smirked. _Aye, that it does.  
Hold on tight little one._  
They were nearing the ground. Saphira extended her legs and opened her massive wings to slow their fall.  
Eragon tightened his grip on the spike in front of him and tried to put as much distance to the spike and his face as possible.  
The ground shook with Saphira's impact and Eragon was barely able to hold and tried to not look like a fool in front of his students.  
When he recovered, he turned around and let himself slide of Saphira's back. A soft thump was audible when his feet hit the ground.  
Saphira blew smoke out of her nostrils and shook her head.  
_Your silly landings are nothing compared to mine.  
Yes, well, I wish they were. _He sent her an image of him being forced to hold on to her for dear life.  
She lifted her head and clapped her jaw a few times.  
_Ha! I am the oldest dragon in the flesh Eragon, I am mighty. When my feet touch the ground; the world roars in honor, as it should be.  
_As she said that she smacked her tail against the ground, producing a loud boom._  
_''Ha!'' Eragon clapped her on the right front paw he landed next to.  
_Of course, my dearest Saphira, of course._  
She lowered her head and arched her neck to be able to look straight at him.  
Her giant blue eye looked right at him and after a long second she winked at him.


	3. A Faithful Day

~editors note~  
OMG YASSS! Finally a new episode! The next one is coming a long well and will probably be published by the and of the month!  
Sorry to keep you guys waiting! :(

**ENJOY!**

At last, Vaelerya could see the first light of dawn. She had been tossing and turning all night, not able to go to sleep.  
Today was the day she had been waiting for ever since she understood what it meant.  
Today was her eighteenth name day, which meant that, as a gathblödh;  
someone who carries both human and elven blood, she is allowed to travel to Ellesméra to try and see if a dragon would hatch for her.  
It was her dream to become a Rider; like her father and uncle, and their fathers before them.

She looked to the floor beside her bed as she did every morning, for there lay her one true companion,  
curled up in a giant unrecognizable ball of black fur; Blade.  
She had found him as a newborn nightstalker cub in the woods on her eighth name day,  
now ten years ago. She had taken him home, tiny and vulnerable, and had raised him to become a formidable wildcat and her most loyal friend.

She reached out her arm and rubbed his neck. ''Blade, wake up.'' She whispered.  
He whined in reply and covered his face with his giant black paw as he always did,  
his long white claws gleaming against his black fur.  
Vaelerya couldn't help but snicker and patted him on his shoulder.  
''Will you ever wake up in a good mood?''  
A low rumble emanated from deep within his chest, one that would probably scare anyone who didn't know him like Vaelerya did.  
''Fine then, I'll have breakfast on my own.'' Vaelerya stood up and stretched her body.  
She hadn't slept at all, but it didn't matter, today was the day that would decide her destiny.

She walked over to the mirror in her room. It was a gift from her mother, who had sung it for her many years ago, when she was still pregnant with her. The mirror itself was enormous;  
it was five feet wide and eight feet high. Vaelerya could see herself in it from top to bottom and still have almost three feet to spare.  
But the size of the mirror was not she loved most about it, it was the tree to which her mother had sung to decorate it.  
She had used a young peach tree and had sung it around the mirror; it was split at the bottom and reconnected at the very top.  
Its two split trunks were braided and pure white, like ivory, though small twigs would grow out of the braided trunks to hold the mirror in place.  
It also blossomed all year round, filling her room with the most sweet and reassuring scent.  
And if she wanted to eat its fruit, all she had to do was sing to it herself.  
Her mother had hidden a small jewel within the tree, at the very bottom of it, deep inside of the trunk were it was not yet split.  
Her parents had even stored energy within it so she needn't use her own to sprout a peach.

Though she wasn't in the mood for one now, she decided.

She stepped closer to the mirror and studied her features, now no longer those of a girl, but of a woman.  
She studied her length; she was not tall like most elves, quite short actually.  
She stood only five feet and four inches; she'd always hoped to grow taller but never did and blamed her human blood for it.  
Though she doesn't mind anymore, it made her a smaller and quicker target she realized some years ago, and was even thankful for it.

Next was her build, again, she wasn't slender like the elves, rather curvy, something she was also quite thankful for.  
She decided that she had a woman's body now, one to be proud of.  
Vaelerya also noticed how her body didn't look like that of her mother or father.  
Her mother was an elf, and even though she came from far across the sea and had skin as dark as night, she was still tall and slender like any other elf.  
And her father, who had white skin, was still a tall and fairly muscular man.  
Yet she was different, something that set her apart from all the others, something she hated when she was a child, but learned to love over the years.

Though she had other features that gave away her heritage;  
her tawny skin, light brown of color, it sat perfectly in between the skin color of her father and of her mother, her nose was somewhat pointy like her fathers, and she had her mother's dark brown eyes.  
She stepped even closer to her mirror to examine the structure of her face; her cheekbones sat high upon her face but her cheeks were full, giving her face a somewhat more rounded look.  
And her eyes were almond shaped and a deep dark brown, slanted like those of an elf, though not quite as much as a full-blooded one.

She had a wide brow and a scar across her left eyebrow, the results of a play fight she had with Blade when she was a child.  
She followed its trail with her finger, starting almost at the end of her eyebrow, crossing it where Blade's claw had gone through, leaving a bald spot,  
and then turning to the right, over the soft tissue just above her eyelid and stopping right at the center of her eyebrow.  
It was an odd scar, somewhat shaped like a fishhook. But it was a part of her; she could barely remember how she looked without it.  
Then came her ears, they were long and ended in a catlike point,  
she flicked them and felt them.  
They were not as long as her mothers, but they did look like true elven ears, just an inch or two shorter.

And finally her hair; it was as dark as her eyes and hung in countless braids, just below her chest.  
It is the way she has always worn it, when loosened, it would stand straight up, supported by the thousands of small curls in her hair, impossible to comb.  
It would surround her head like the mane of a lion, bouncing everywhere, getting stuck in branches and would have leaves blowing into it without her noticing. So she would braid it to keep that from happening, that, and the fact that she barely had to maintain it that way.

Through the mirror she looked behind her; Blade was slowly starting to wake up,  
stretching and yawning, opening his mouth wide and revealing two rows of formidable teeth.  
His canines were four inches long and even stuck out from under his lips when his mouth was closed.  
A small black beard hung from his chin, similar tufts grew on the back of his ears, elbows and down the length of his tail.  
Seeing him yawn was as always, intimidating, even for Vaelerya.

He walked over to her and poked her elbow with his nose.  
''I know you're hungry, just give me some time to wake up properly alright?''  
He whined in response, it sounded almost like humming or moaning, but clearly more agitated.  
She yanked his ear. ''No complaining, you didn't want to get up in the first place.''  
He looked up at her with his big golden green eyes, his tail swishing and his ears perked up.  
''No Blade, not right now, please.''  
But it was too late. He jumped up and grabbed her shoulders with his giant paws, almost like a big hug, towering over her by a good two feet. He opened his mouth wide and put her head in his mouth. Try as she might, she couldn't push him off; her arms were barely able to move as she tried to poke his ribs and soft belly while he nibbled on her head. He always did this when he didn't get his way.  
He let out a small growl when she poked a particularly soft spot in his belly and he bit down a little harder to get her back.

''Fine! Okay, we eat now, and bathe later. I just want today to go well, you understand?  
Today is an important day, and it's our birthday, you know? I've told you this!''  
He let go of her, a soft thump sounded as he hit the floor, his muscles rippling with every small movement. He looked up at her with a look of understanding, and rubbed his head against her upper arm, walking past her, rubbing his entire body against hers as he walked towards the door. Looking back at her and waiting patiently on her to finish up and open it.

She was still amazed by his intelligence, Vaelerya was sure she could comprehend every single word she spoke. Whether it was the common tongue or the Ancient Language, he always seemed to understand what she said.  
She walked up to him and opened the door.  
''You go ahead, I'll catch up with you.'' He rubbed himself against her again as he walked out of the small shack and ran off into Du Weldenvarden.

A soft breeze hit her face and she inhaled deeply.  
It was still cool outside, but it would get much warmer as the day grew older she knew,  
for it was but four days before the Summer Solstice.  
She decided to leave the door open and enjoy the breeze as she walked back inside.

Vaelerya walked over to the chest in the corner of the room, where she kept her clothes.  
She grabbed her favorite black woolen pants and a bright blue hooded tunic, decorated with silver thread. The sleeves came to her elbow and were dark blue. She pulled them on and strapped her black leather belt around her waist.  
In which she put the dagger her father had given to her when they went on their first hunting trip together.

Next to the chest lay her leather backpack. It was worn and deep green of color,  
she grabbed it and stuffed a blanket in it. Vaelerya stood up and looked around the room, checking to see if she had everything she needed.  
When she was done she walked out of her shack, onto the small clearing and closed the door.

She reached her mind out to the world in search for Blade. She found him after two minutes;  
entering his mind just as he was chasing a doe with an injured front leg.

Through him she could smell its rotting wound, the sweat and blood and fear, and could also feel Blades eagerness and instinct.  
Again, she was reminded of how dangerous he could be when he wanted to, thinking back to the gentle nibbles he gave her just a few minutes ago.

She could feel his muscles tensing up, filling themselves with power and releasing it all at once.  
He leaped into the air and onto the doe; they both fell and rolled over the ground but he managed to hold on with his giant claws,  
ripping into the does flesh as he did.  
He ended the doe in mid scream, biting her neck and thus, snapping it.

Finally, he acknowledged her presence by letting out a great roar; calling her to join him.  
She could feel his throat vibrating, his deep chest tightening as he let out the short deep roars.  
Birds all around started chirping alarmingly, some flying away, some puffing up defensively.

With her mind she showed him an image, a small clearing not far from him.  
There was a small pond surrounded by rocks, hidden for those who didn't know its exact location.  
It was the spot they usually took their baths, the pond itself was hidden, but the sun shone on it directly, making the waters pleasantly warm,  
it was one of her favorite spots.  
_Meet me there._  
Through Blade's eyes she could see him grabbing the doe by her neck and starting to walk towards the spot she asked him to go.

Vaelerya brought her mind back to herself and broke out in to a run.  
She ran through the thickness of Du Weldenvarden; jumping over logs, passing under trees and trying to avoid stepping the hundreds of critters that dwelled there. She had lived here together with Blade for two years now.  
Other elves would often come to keep her company and she had many friends in the hidden cities of the Forest, but preferred living alone.

Her father would come and visit many times, and then he would leave again.  
Sometimes she would go with him and visit cities and towns, to meet new people and learn about the world, but she would always return to her small shack, hidden deep within Du Weldenvarden.  
A place not many could find on their own, a secret place where she could live in peace and silence. And she loved it.

While she ran she collected the many fruits, nuts and berries that grew on the trees and bushes of the forest.  
She ate meat too, but not often, and she could never kill an animal herself.  
Not even when it was injured, she would rather heal it instead.  
But when Blade would bring back prey she would sometimes eat some of the meat,  
for that was the way life went.  
Blade had to eat, and he ate meat only, and he was always happy to share some of it with her,  
it made her feel less guilty when she enjoyed a piece of swine or deer.

She broke through the bush and onto the clearing just as Blade did right across from her.  
He dragged his meal to the center of the clearing and dropped it, walking over to her to greet her first. She patted his thick neck and smiled at him.

''Good hunting, boy. Mind if I take some for my own?'' He looked back at the doe and nudged her hand. Taking it as a yes, Vaelerya walked over the animal and crouched.  
In the Ancient Language she spoke: ''I want to thank you for your meat. Blade and I will not let it go to waste.'' Then she took out her dagger and cut the rotten meat out of its shoulder, she grabbed the biggest leaf she could find and placed the bad meat onto it, walked over towards the tree line and placed it on the ground. Again she spoke:  
''May everyone feel free to take some of the meat and share in our spoils.''  
Before long small critters gathered around the leaf and started tearing apart the soft meat.

Vaelerya gathered some twigs off of the ground and threw them on a pile,  
she concentrated and whispered; ''_Brisingr.''_  
A small fire burst up and began to sizzle and pop. She gathered some more wood and placed it next to the fire. She took off her backpack and opened it, pulling out her blanket and laid it atop gently of the grass, near the fire. She quickly cleaned her dagger with another piece of cloth and walked back over to the doe, cutting a small piece out of its thigh.

She called out for Blade while walking back towards the fire and, looking back saw Blade was busy cleaning his toes.  
He perked up when he heard her and stood up, happily walking up to his prey and ripping out a piece of meat.  
Vaelerya sighed, nodded her head and smiled. He had no manners whatsoever when it came to eating.

Sitting down on her blanket, Vaelerya grabbed a stick and skewered the meat on it.  
She poked it in to the ground so she wouldn't have to hold it, and mindlessly ate her fruit and berries as she stared at the fire.

The sun was beaming down on her and the breeze gently caressed her face.  
She snapped back to reality as Blade cracked a thigh bone, she looked over to her own meat which was almost burned and silently thanked him for the unexpected sound he made.

When she finished her meat she stood up and stretched, putting her hands on her hips, she watched the sky for a while;  
staring at the clouds as they drifted by,  
and wanted more than anything, to be able to fly through them herself. An unpleasant knot formed inside her as she thought about the day to come.  
Her future would be decided on this day.


	4. Companions Without Masters

**Hey guys! I'm quite happy with this chapter even though there's almost no progress in the story haha! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!**  
**xx Val**

Vaelerya quickly sat up when she realized what had happened. Her head spun from the sudden motion as she squinted her eyes against the sun.  
She hadn't realized she had fallen asleep, though it wasn't a surprise considering she hadn't slept at all.  
Vaelerya looked around and found herself in her favorite pond; Blade lay behind her in the shallowest part of the water, his flank serving as her pillow.  
She quickly stood up, dizzy from sleeping in the hot sun, yet grateful for finally getting some rest.

''Blade, wake up! We're late!''  
He whined and covered his head with his paw, splashing drops of water over her as he did.

Vaelerya sighed and ran over to her clothes as she studied the sun, it stood high in the sky,  
blinding her.  
''_Adurna,''_ The water quickly ran off her body and gathered in a puddle on the ground.  
She fumbled, putting her clothes back on as she called out to the heap of black fuzz,  
still sleeping in the pond.  
''Blade!'' He whined again and curled up into a tighter ball.  
''Fine then,'' she smiled mischievously, ''suite yourself.''  
Vaelerya took a deep breath and concentrated her energy as she focused on the water. She raised her right hand towards Blade and spoke again:  
''_Adurna rïsa!'' _A ball of water rose from the pond, significantly lowering the water level.  
Blade growled as the warm water receded, his tail swishing with annoyance.  
''Last chance my friend.'' He didn't respond, his paw still covering his eyes, completely unaware of the giant ball of water floating above him.

Vaelerya couldn't help but smirk as she released her magic. She watched the water come down atop of Blade,  
completely drenching his fur as he jumped up and snarled in surprise,  
leaping at least four feet into the air.  
He landed on his paws and hissed at her, his tail switching around more than ever before.  
''I warned you!'' She laughed as he shook is fur; his tufts sticking to his body, making him look ridiculous.  
Again she concentrated, she closed her eyes and, this time she focused on the heat of the sun,  
feeling its warmth, breathing in and out deeply she gathered its energy, she put up her right arm and finally spoke:  
''_Vindr.''  
_A warm wind blew towards Blade, drying his fur as he walked towards her,  
his nose in the air. By the time he reached her he was completely dry, his fur stood on end, looking even bigger then he was.

''Let's go quickly, we might still have some time.'' Blade growled in reply.  
She quickly grabbed her backpack and stuffed her blanket back in it.  
Just as she was about to leave she spotted the remains of the doe,  
all there was left were four hooves and a pile of light brown fur.  
She raised her hand towards the ground and spoke:  
''_Deloi.''_ The earth began to move and the hooves appeared to be swallowed by the ground as they disappeared below the surface.  
As she walked over to Blade her ears twitched, her sensitive ears heard a faint yet familiar sound;

_Whoompf.  
_  
A long silence followed.  
And again;

Whoompf.  
Whoompf.

She smiled as she extended her mind, searching for none other than her father.  
Vaelerya found him and gently touched his mind;  
_You're late, _her father said, _as always._  
_Yes, yes, I know, I'm sorry father. I couldn't sleep, I was too tired, I didn't even know how it happened. _She replied.  
Then a booming voice chimed in: _You don't know a lot of things, child.  
_It sounded clearly amused by its own joke.  
_I'll meet you at home._ Her father said.

Vaelerya needn't more encouragement, she readjusted her backpack and hopped onto Blades back, grabbing onto the looser skin on the sides of his neck.  
''_Gánga.''  
_Blade immediately broke out into a run.  
She held on tightly to him as he sprinted through the Forest they both knew so well.  
Blade, of course, was no horse, and to ride him was quite a challenge on its own. His powerful legs propelled them both forward,  
faster than any horse ever could, more jumping than actually running.  
Vaelerya clamped herself onto him with her legs and arms, holding on to his skin. She did have the advantage of knowing the land so well,  
concentrating on where they were, she could anticipate Blades movements.  
_Broken tree, jump. Turn left. Small stream, jump, turn left again. _

Blade slowed his pace as they neared the clearing, she could already see her small house through the trees.  
The beating of dragon wings now louder than ever.

_Whoompf.  
Whoompf.  
_  
The wind sent Vaelerya's braids dancing, Blades gleaming black fur rippled like waves,  
leaves and dirt flew against Vaelerya's face and she had to close her eyes to protect them.

The ground shook with a great ''boom'', she could feel Blade shaking with the force, having to dig his nails into the dirt to keep them from falling.

All went still as waves of hot dragon breath caressed her face and a deep humming filled her ears.  
Vaelerya opened her eyes to see a gigantic red snout, no more than four feet away from her;  
its nostrils opening and closing, releasing waves of warmth on her.

She jumped of off Blades back and onto the dragons face, holding on to its jaws as it lifted her high into the sky.  
Blade whined loudly, clearly concerned, but Vaelerya knew she was safe as she closed her eyes and held onto the dragons jaws with her arms and legs,  
almost like a giant hug.

She was high up off the ground when she opened her eyes, finding herself looking directly into the dragons enormous red eyes,  
its pupils were slit and a clicking noise sounded as the dragon winked its right eye at her.  
''Uncle Thorn!'' She yelled out.  
Blade whined again.  
_Hello child who knows nothing._ He replied. A deep humming vibrated from out of his deep chest, Vaelerya's teeth clattering with the sound.  
She smiled: ''Hold still uncle.''  
With that he knew exactly what she was going to do, he leveled his head for her, keeping it as straight as possible as she slowly stood up.  
First onto her knees and into a crouch, she wobbled to keep her balance as she stood up, Blade whined once more.  
Vaelerya stretched her arms out to her sides and took a few steps back, standing on the utmost tip of Thorns scaly nose.  
She stood there for a few seconds, trying to find a perfect balance, when she did she nodded.  
Thorn quickly flicked his head and sent her flying, Blade roared from below, calling Vaelerya,  
who made two back flips and landed on the red dragon's nose again.

A cloud of smoke arose from Thorns nostrils.  
_It tickles.  
_Vaelerya couldn't help but laugh, her cheerful elven laughter could set anyone at ease, even a dragon.  
_Today is a big day child; today you are a child no longer. Which means no more games._  
''No more games?''  
_No more games. _Thorn replied, mischief in his voice.

He flicked his head again, sending her even higher this time and Vaelerya managed to do three back flips,  
landing perfectly on the tip of his nose, again and again.  
The fourth time didn't go as smoothly;  
as Vaelerya tried to land on Thorn's nose she leaned back too far, her foot slipped and she felt herself falling towards the ground.  
Blade cried out as she fell, and Vaelerya had no time to think of a spell to stop her fall.  
All she could see was the black of her hair, the blue of the sky and Thorn's shimmering red scales.

She hit something with a thud, and the wind got knocked out of her lungs, yet, to her surprise,  
she was not in pain. She looked around she saw that Thorn had caught her in his talons,  
his hard, pointy scales prickling in her back and legs.  
He set her back onto the ground, Blade furiously rubbing his head against her, whining.

''You've always been quite the acrobat, I must say.''  
Vaelerya smiled as she looked her father. His dark hair almost touched his shoulders,  
his eyes slightly slanted and ears slightly pointed, his strong jaw and dark eyes, his tall, muscular build and recognizable smile.

''Father!'' They walked towards each other and touched their foreheads together.  
''You're late. You're always late.'' He looked at her disapprovingly.  
''I know, I apologize.'' It was true Vaelerya knew, she was always late, without exception, it was one of her many flaws.  
_Let the child be, Murtagh, it is her name day after all._

Vaelerya put on her sweetest face as she looked up at her father, ever grateful for Thorn's intervention;  
he always stood up for her, even when she was clearly in the wrong.  
Her father looked back down on her, his stern face slowly softened.  
''Have you eaten?'' He asked her.  
''Yes,'' Vaelerya replied with a smile, ''but I could always eat more.''

''Thought so,'' Murtagh walked over to Thorn who was now laying down, he climbed up his right leg and snatched two things out of one of his saddlebags.  
He spared himself the climb down by simply jumping of off Thorns back, landing on the soft grass with a barely audible thud.

Vaelerya took off her backpack and laid her blanket on the grass once again, sitting down in the sun. Her father joined her, in one hand he carried a sack of wine, in the other a small box. He sat down and handed the box over to Vaelerya, while he himself took a big swig of wine.  
''The finest sweet rolls in all of Alagaesia,'' Murtagh said.  
_For the biggest sweet tooth in all of Alagaesia. _Thorn added with his deep voice.

Vaelerya opened the package to find three sweet rolls, drenched in honey and with fresh strawberries on the side.  
''Thank you, father.'' She said with a smile.  
''You're welcome, as long as it's clear that one's for me.''  
''As expected,'' she picked up a sticky roll and handed the box back over to her father, who picked one up for himself.

Blade came up to Vaelerya, he whined and rubbed his head up against her shoulder.  
''You don't want this, my friend. It's sweet.'' She held up the roll for Blade to inspect.  
He smelled for a long time, contemplating whether he should eat it or not.  
Vaelerya pulled back after a while.  
''See? You won't like it, it's not for cats.''  
He looked at her as if he hadn't made up his mind yet, and with a sigh, she held up the roll yet again,  
Blade sniffed it once more, licked his lips, and quickly snatched it from her hand,  
smacking as he tried to chew the sticky treat.

''I guess Blade doesn't agree.'' Murtagh said.  
Vaelerya sighed and picked up the last roll, slowly picking it apart, savoring its taste.  
Blade curled up behind her, his back against hers as she and her father enjoyed their sweet rolls.  
Vaelerya, Blade, Murtagh and Thorn all enjoying each other's company in silence,  
listening to the song birds composing their own unique melodies and the bees happily buzzing around them,  
gathering what was left of the honey in the empty box.

After about ten minutes Vaelerya stood up and walked to her shack, she grabbed a bowl and some water and washed her hands.  
She walked outside again and gave the bowl to her father, who also washed his.

''We should go soon.'' Her father said as he flicked his hands sending drops of water flying.  
''Aye, we should. I'll grab my things.''  
Vaelerya walked back to her shack, an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. She couldn't believe this was actually happening, today was truly the day;  
she could be a Rider just a few hours from now, or she would go back home empty handed.  
Today was truly the day that would decide her faith forever, and it made her nervous beyond words.

''I'll wait here.'' Her father called after her.

Vaelerya walked inside and closed the door, letting out a shaky breath.  
''_Okay, I can do this._'' She whispered to herself.

Vaelerya walked over to the far end of the room and grabbed her coat,  
the leather on the outside was dyed midnight blue and the inside was lined with sheep wool, perfect for when being high in the sky.  
Further she packed her short bow and quiver, her shield, which she strapped onto her back and her sword, which she put around her waist.  
Her other stuff, along with some clothes she put in two large brown bags.

With some effort Vaelerya hoisted her bags of off the ground and walked towards the door.  
She took a deep breath and, with shaky hands, opened the door.  
There, but a few yards in front of her stood her father, a smile on his face,  
at his feet lay two items, this immediately caught Vaelerya's eye.

''You didn't think I'd just give you a sweet roll for your eighteenth name day did you?  
Vaelerya squealed in excitement and dropped her bags as she ran over to her father.  
She dropped to her knees, in front of the presents, as did Murtagh. Thorn began humming in the background, clearly content.  
''First,'' Murtagh began, ''from your mother, a new bow. It was sung out of a willow tree,  
I guarantee you, there is no short bow who can shoot as far as this one, its small and won't get in the way, test it against any longbow you can find,  
it might even shoot further.''

Vaelerya gingerly took the weapon in her hands.  
The bow was white, gleaming like ivory and it was decorated with the finest silverwork, making it appear as if sliver vines wrapped around the bow,  
sprouting from its dark blue leather handle.  
Her father handed her a new quiver made out of dark blue leather as well, the arrows it contained were white, with two dark blue stripes on them.  
''That way you can always tell which arrows are yours.'' Her father added.  
_Why don't you try your new bow, little one? See if it suits you. _Thorn said.

Vaelerya stood and strapped her new quiver onto her back.  
''I love it,'' she said with a smile, ''the bow is light, I can barely feel it weight.''  
''As it should,'' Murtagh smiled back.  
Her father grabbed Vaelerya's old bow and an arrow, and aimed it at the sky.  
''See if you can hit my arrow with that new bow of yours, shall we?''  
''Aye, this'll be easy.'' She held her bow ready, feeling the wind on her skin, focusing.  
''Look the other way, child. Of course it'll be easy if you know where I'm aiming!''  
Vaelerya giggled as she turned around and closed her eyes,  
her ears would tell her where her father's arrow was going, and her eyes would know where her arrow had to go.

A familiar creaking sound filled Vaelerya's ears as her father pulled his bow, then the sound of an arrow piercing the air. Vaelerya turned around immediately, towards the north, pulling her bow back as she did.  
She was surprised by its flexibility and strength, her muscles straining as she pulled it back all the way. Her eyes found the arrow as it sailed through the sky. She adjusted her aim and released.  
It all happened in less than two seconds, her elven blood gave her incredible reflexes, and she was certain her arrow would hit, she just knew it would.

All eyes were aimed towards the sky as Vaelerya's white and blue arrow went straight for her old brown one.  
A crack sounded as her arrow hit her father's right in the center, snapping it in two.  
''Ah!'' She and her father yelled in delight simultaneously.  
''_Letta,'' _Vaelerya heard her father whisper, the arrow stopped in midair, ''_gath lam iet.''_  
Murtagh held out his hand as the arrow gently landed in it, he then put it back in Vaelerya's quiver. Meanwhile, the other two pieces came falling down,  
the rustling of leaves and two quick thuds sounded as they hit the ground.

_Your aim is true, little one. Very well done._  
''Thank you, uncle Thorn, I practice almost every day, besides, this bow is amazing. I couldn't wish for a better one. Thank you.''  
she smiled as she touched foreheads with her father.

_Secondly, _Thorn said, _I brought a present too. But it is not just for you Vaelerya,  
it is also for Blade._  
Blade looked up at Thorn, curiosity in his golden green eyes, as he walked over to Murtagh,  
sniffing his leather present. Murtagh held it up as Thorn continued;  
_It is a saddle, I know it must be quite uncomfortable to have Vaelerya ride you while she grabs your neck and digs her heels in your sides.  
Now, you have a saddle, made especially for you. It is light and won't get in the way.  
Little one, _Thorn looked directly at Vaelerya;  
_would you please open the saddlebag? There you'll find a present for Blade alone._

Vaelerya opened it and pulled out two identical silver items.  
Blade looked up at her curiously, trying to pull her arm down with his paw, wanting to look at it himself.

Thorn's deep voice continued: _These are specially made for you, Blade, two silver canines to wear on your own.  
These Silver Fangs are longer and sharper and will also protect you when biting down on say, armor or a shield.  
I've also blessed them, for as long as I live they will protect you from arrows, spears, swords, daggers, maces and all other weapons which may be used against you, including magic. It will drain my energy and not yours, as long as you wear it, you will be near invincible._

Blade looked at Thorn with true gratitude in his eyes and lowered his head.  
''Uncle,'' Vaelerya said, ''thank you for such a wonderful gift, but please allow me to ask a question:  
it's not very likely I'd ever ride Blade into battle or anything like that. Alagaesia has been in peace for a hundred years, peace you helped create.  
Yet, you give us a saddle and Silver Fangs, blessed with powerful magic, magic that would only be useful during a battle, or war.''

_Do you know why I like you so much, child?_  
''Tell me, why?''  
_You ask of me to allow you to ask a question, yet, you haven't asked one.  
_Thorn started humming.  
_Let me start by saying this; Blade and I, we are very much alike.  
Some look at us and think that we are nothing but animals, savage beasts that were tamed and used to our masters liking. But that is not the case,  
aye we may be looked upon as beasts, but we are also intelligent. We can think and understand and be our own, we do not have masters,  
we have companions, someone we choose to carry on our backs, and someone we choose to fight alongside with.  
Knowing that, I blessed Blade that day you found him, this you know.  
Though I've never told you why, haven't I?  
I blessed him with a long life, so that he may see things no other of his kind will ever see.  
I blessed him with a great mind, so that he may know the tongue, though he cannot speak.  
And lastly, I blessed him with strength, so that he may shield those he loves from harm.  
I did that because my heart told me it was necessary, now my heart tells me I must give you this. I am a hundred years old, my child.  
And in those years I have given my blessing five times, one for your mother, one for a human I did not know and two for Blade.  
I can't tell you of the other one. But know this, in all this time my heart has not once been wrong, I can feel something coming. I know something is coming.  
I am not the only who knows it. I've talked to others, small and big, they all said the same, things will change._

_Nothing lasts forever little one, especially not peace._


End file.
